BBC Ouch is reporting that the UK’s only remaining Deaf Church is to be sold.
The congregation at St Saviours in London, which has been providing a place of worship for deaf people since 1870, has dwindled while other more modern deaf churches cater for younger worshippers.
Extract:
The St Saviour’s foundation cornerstone was laid in 1870 on London’s Oxford Street by the Prince of Wales and his wife Princess Alexandra, who had progressive hearing loss. The first service took place in 1873. Fifty years later the building was demolished to make way for development and the church relocated to Acton.
Fred Cuddeford is 105 years old. He was deafened a century ago in the same horse and cart accident that killed his mother. He has been a regular at St Saviour’s Church and Deaf Centre for 94 years – in its old and new home.
For him and many other, St Saviour’s has not only been a church, but a social club for deaf people. These were once very important places to meet, where sign language users were able to have conversations.
Fred’s son Freddie says that his father will miss out socially when the church has gone: “This is Dad’s only outing.”
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Andy Owen
April 28, 2014
The Metropolitan Tabernacle in London recognises this need, so has all services BSL interpreted, up to qualified terp level, and has meetings in BSL. Also, for those living too far away, they host a website for Deaf people with over 350 videos of services and meetings in BSL. Check it out at : http://www.desiringholiness.co.uk
pennybsl
April 28, 2014
There is a real need for a more central London location, near all transport links, to allow interdenominational, denomination and CoE services in BSL and other Deaf-friendly access.
The same would apply in all other regional cities in the UK.
Services be led by people who sign / communicate clearly and the services to be paced and planned to allow audience participation.
The BBC Ouch (yes it was a big ‘ouch’ for us all) news report accurately describes the current scattered demographics of Deaf churchgoers who go to hearing/mainstream churches with access, and a small number has genuine Deaf leadership.
Deaf Christians and friends are ‘voting’ with their feet attending Deaf Christian events and weekends for ‘Deaf Christian Spaces’.
We live in a multi-social era, so many Deaf people are balancing their Christian lives with one portion in hearing churches via BSL access and the other portion with Deaf Christian peers.
You can find out more via: –
The London Deaf Church featured in the article
http://londondeafchurch.wordpress.com/
Deaf people (and an amazing hearing audience too) can have BSL daily ‘notes’ –
http://www.bsldailydevotions.co.uk/
The Deaf-led Christian organisation
http://gosign.org.uk/
…and the only UK organisation that provides quality BSL training for a specific area, i.e. Christian Signs (which enables increasing participation for Deaf people in the Church – training, being part of a local church, main Christian festivals and seminars, family services like baptisms, marriages, funerals etc..)
http://www.signsofgod.org.uk/
Deaf History has shown such links and long may the positive aspects continue.
We look forward to stronger links between denominations – CoE, Methodist, RC, Baptists, etc.
The Deaf Community deserves this, full stop.
pennybsl
April 28, 2014
Oh yes! there is also Deaf Anglicans Together – http://www.deafanglicanstogether.org.uk/
Several of them attend the church mentioned in the news.
Linda Richards
April 28, 2014
Not sure that this article is factually correct…. Older church services for Deaf people exist … EG http://jrmdeafchurch.co.uk/news.html
mike theobald
April 28, 2014
Shame on you RAD!
Gill Behenna
April 28, 2014
It is always sad when a much beloved building is lost – especially one with such a history, and I have great sympathy for the people of St Saviour’s Acton.
However, the Deaf community and the Deaf Church is much more than buildings! All over the country there are Deaf people meeting for worship. Some will meet as separate congregations in mainstream church buildings and some will be distinct congregations in the life and ministry of mainstream churches supported by interpreters but with the opportunity also to worship and learn direct in BSL. As Penny mentioned, there are also several organisations that offer a whole range of training, information and support for Deaf Church members and people wanting to know more. There are at least two Deaf people training for full-time Christian Ministry and several others exploring the possibility of training. The Deaf Church (ie God’s Deaf people meeting together) is alive and well!
Wherever Deaf people meet to worship, they will create Deaf space and ensure that they are able to worship easily in BSL, whether that is in a purpose built church or chapel, a mainstream church or even just a borrowed hall, it will be Deaf Church and therefore Deaf space whilst Deaf people are worshipping there.
Gill Behenna – National Adviser for Deaf Ministry (Church of England)
Liz
April 29, 2014
Exactly! Well said Gill. The church is not the buildings and beautiful though St Saviour’s is, like many old buildings, if it cannot be fully utilised, it’s not cost effective to keep it going just for one group of Deaf people meeting monthly.